Photo Mike Spurgin
The Wayfarer Eastern Championships were held by Medway Yacht Club at the weekend in gusty westerly winds. As you can see in the photo, the new orange MSBA race marks were used. If your club would like to use these or the original white ones, please contact MYC.
Photo by Rob Chandler
The offshore patrol vessel HNLMS Holland arrived today in Basin 2, along with the type 23 frigate HMS Richmond just to keep an eye on what they get up to. You can find out more and book a visit to the two ships at http://new.medway.gov.uk/news-and-events/bom
The Dutch are well underway with the registration of the 200 or so yachts and ships coming to the Medway for the historic event. The really good news is that the bulk of the Dutch visitors will be split into two fleets.
Fleet 1: consisting of tall ships (including the HNLMS Urania, the brigs Merganster and Aphrodite), many yachts from the Royal Maas Yacht Club from Rotterdam, and historic steam and motor vessels will gather at Queenborough on Wednesday 7 June and sail in company up the Medway on the morning of Thursday 8 June with the Dutch royal prince taking the salute at Upnor castle at 11.45. Fleet 1 will leave the Medway on 12/13 June.
Friday to Sunday: Dutch and Royal Navy ships open to public
Saturday 10 June: Dutch retired Marines Rowing Challenge, MSBA members Queenborough Rowing Club have accepted the challenge. The course is Upnor to Rochester Bridge then back to Thunderbolt Pier to “break the chain”!
Sunday 10 June: MSBA members Medway Towns Rowing Club are hosting a regatta from 10.00 to 12.00 in their reach of the river but with a race between Dutch and British rowers from Rochester to Upnor about midday in an 8 or 4.
Fleet 2: up to 90 yachts, largely from the Dutch Offshore Sailing Club, will gather at Stangate Creek and sail up the Medway on 14 June 2017, leaving on 18 June.
Many of the historic ships will be open to the public as well as the visiting Dutch and British naval vessels which are now berthed in Basin 2 of Chatham Docks.
The event grand finale takes place on Saturday 17 June. The programme includes entertainment on the river, a parade of sail with local historic yachts and ships including a modern Dutch steam vessel at 17.30 from Sun Pier to Upnor Castle . The day culminates with the ‘Medway in Flames’, a son-et-lumière and firework display with Upnor Castle as the backdrop.
The Medway and Swale Boating Association (MSBA) and member clubs and marinas are providing moorings for our Dutch visitors and arranging river activities. Medway Yacht Club and Upnor Sailing Club are working together to provide breakfast and evening meal galley facilities and to arrange Hog Roast evenings with a sea shanty band at MYC on Saturday 10 June and Friday 16 June. There will also be a ‘Pub Night’ meal, served from the counter, with Upnor SC running a Quiz, on Thursday 15 June.
Hoo Ness YC, together with Medway Cruising Club and Segas SC are providing moorings and hospitality for a small fleet of ‘Gaffers’ from Holland and the east coast.
Further information on the Battle of Medway events can be found at www.deruyter.org and www.visitmedway.org
Derek Zobel of Wilsonian SC asked us to share details of the Icom Regatta pack as advertised in RYA Wavelength publication – Annual review 2016 – page 17. This is suitable for clubs that wish to provide regatta officials with handheld VHF radios for an event.
The RYA London and South East area Honda RYA Youth RIB finals will be held at the Medway Yacht Club (MYC) on Saturday, 8 July 2017. MYC would like this year’s event to include participants from across our London and South East area.
The championship is split into two age groups; 8 to 12 and 13 to 16. The events are exciting and very well organised. There must be many boys and girls who would revel in the opportunity to take part, and; one really useful outcome is the potential for future safety boat drivers!
For information about the Medway event, please email Henry Chung at henrychungmh(at)btinternet.com or Ian Glass at ianglass(at)live.com
Further information from the RYA website:
Photo Catherine Gore
At the Wayfarer Nationals in June, dinghies jostle for position at the MSBA race buoy. If your club wants to use one or both of the MSBA racing buoys please contact Gavin Parson at secretary (at) msba.org.uk
The Medway hosts one of the South East’s Premier Regattas incorporating the Sonata Eastern Championship, Thursday 7 to Sunday 10 July 2016. Medway Yacht Club is delighted to invite competitors to attend and participate in the MYC Keelboat Regatta, an event for all who enjoy sailing. This year we extend a very warm to welcome Sonata’s participating in the Sonata Eastern Championship and all other visiting yachts
Click here for more information including Notice of Race and Entry Forms…
Photo Wil Pretty
The annual Nore Race was held on Sunday, organised by Benfleet Yacht Club. The 17 nautical mile course in the Thames Estuary attracted a hundred sailing dinghies and cruisers, including multihulls, many from the Medway and Swale.
Here are the notice of race and sailing instructions for this year’s Medway Dinghy Regatta hosted by Wilsonian Sailing Club.
The Swale Regatta website is now working. Details are also on our calendar.
